What will hereinafter be referred as pipe clips, whether constructed wholly or principally of metal or of plastics material, have been in use for a significant period of time for purposes of attaching and/or locating piping, tubing, ducting or the like at, to or in the vicinity of walls, ceilings or other surfaces of a building or the like structure. In one known arrangement such a pipe clip includes opposed clip body halves which are adapted to be joined together to surround the piping, tubing, ducting or the like. Another known arrangement includes a pipe clip in which the clip body is formed of a single part which is, in use, adapted to be bent in order to be located around piping, tubing, ducting or the like and then bent again in order to surround such. With clips of this general type a fastening means is utilised for purposes of joining together either the opposed clip body halves or the free ends of the one-piece type clip, such fastening members being in the form of a threaded rod or threaded bolt, with a nut or the like associated therewith.
The accepted or general practice when installing, for example, a pipe, duct or the like in place relative to a given surface, whether that surface be vertical, horizontal or anywhere in-between, is as follows:                (i) firstly a number of brackets are disposed/installed on the surface, at spaced-apart locations therealong, using any known means, as for example screws, bolts or the like;        (ii) then each bracket has releasably associated therewith a clip member of the aforementioned type;        (iii) thereafter a length of pipe, duct, tubing or the like is located within the confines of the clips, relative to the bracket in each instance; and        (iv) the free ends of each clip member are brought together such that each clip member surrounds the pipe, duct or the like at each location, and then locked together.        
Arrangements such as those as referred to in the preceding paragraph, despite being in common use, have been found to suffer from the drawback/disadvantage of being somewhat difficult to actually install and/or remove or replace relative to a wall, roof, ceiling or the like of a building or the like structure. In one particular known arrangement the practice is for a bracket or the like member to be first installed at the appropriate or desired position or positions along or adjacent to the wall, roof, ceiling or the like surface, such bracket being intended to co-operate with a clip member and to allow for the piping, tubing or ducting to be disposed at a preferred and/or predetermined spacing from the given surface. With such an arrangement, once the bracket is in place it then becomes necessary for the installer to hold the relevant piping, tubing or ducting in place and to attempt to locate the clip member therearound, and thereafter affix the clip member in place relative to the bracket per medium of a screw or bolt and associated nut or the like member. When one considers that in some circumstances the installer (as for example a plumber or the like tradesman or even the home owner) will be operating within an enclosed/confined space, there can be an unacceptable degree of difficulty associated with installation of pipe clips of the aforementioned type. Sometimes a tool, as for example a screw driver or the like, may be required in order to allow for correct installation of the nut and associated screw or bolt. When one person is working alone, the degree of difficulty increases even further. Again, when working in confined spaces the need to use a tool increases the degree of difficulty of installation. This is especially the case for pipes of a larger diameter, which will require a more rigid clip for affixing in place.
When a rigid or substantially rigid clip member is being used or is to be used, it has been found that the degree of difficulty in installing or removing such a clip member increases, due to the very rigidity of the clip member itself. To be more specific, it has been found to be difficult for a single person to manually apply the pressure/load needed to bring the opposed free ends of the one-piece type clip member close enough together to allow for either installation of the aforementioned fastening members or, in the alternative, loosening thereof. Indeed experience has revealed that, especially for larger-sized and more rigid clip members, it's generally necessary for the installer to use a suitable tool, as for example, pliers or pincers, to allow for the two free ends to be brought into juxtaposition.
It has also been found that, with known brackets of this general type, there is a tendency for a clip member to separate or release therefrom during the procedure of locating or “stringing” a length of piping, tubing or ducting. As well as being a source of annoyance to the installer, such can give rise to an increase in the length of time needed to locate or “string” a length of piping, tubing or ducting.
The present invention seeks to overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art by providing a means for assisting in location of piping, ducting, tubing or the like relative to a given surface which does not rely on the use of a threaded means, such as a screw and associated bolt or the like. The arrangements in accordance with the present invention can be readily and speedily utilised by a single person, without the need for ancillary tooling.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a bracket which is adapted, in use, to be releasably co-operable with a pipe clip of the aforementioned type, said bracket being of a unitary construction and including: a first centrally disposed elongate member having opposed apertures therein; and an extension member extending from opposed ends of said elongate member and at an angle to the plane of said elongate member, each said extension member including a longitudinal slot extending along at least part of the length dimension thereof, and wherein each extension member includes a plurality of lines of weakening, at spaced apart locations along the length dimension thereof and extending at least partially along the width or lateral dimension thereof.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a bracket adapted, in use, to be releasably co-operable with a pipe clip said bracket being of a unitary construction and including a substantially U-shaped member/section; and opposed extension members/sections extending from opposed free ends of said U-shaped member/section, and at an angle to the plane of said U-shaped member/section, wherein each extension member/section includes a slot which extends across at least part of the width dimension thereof.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention there is provided a bracket of a unitary construction which is adapted, in use, to be releasably co-operate with a pipe clip and including a first elongate and substantially plane section, having a free end; a second, intermediate section extending from said other end of said first section and at an angle thereto; and a third, end section extending from said second section and at an angle thereto, and wherein both said first and second sections have a shaped slot extending over at least part of the length dimension thereof.